Apparatus for forming and surveying earth cores



Feb. 4; 1936.

APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND' SURVEYING EARTH CORES Filed Feb. 15, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 4, 1936.

J. R.l MCCURDY APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND SURVEYING EARTH C--ORES 4 Sheets-Sheet Filed Feb. 15, 1935 Q. iff W .Mecwrg JhnR Fb. 4, 1936. J. R. MccURDY APPARATUS `FOR FORMING AND SURVEYING EARTH CORES Fi'leaFeb. 1s, 1935 4 sheets-sheet 3 Feb. 4, 1936.

J. R. MccuRDY APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND SURVEYING EARTH CORES Filed Feb. 15, 1935 133 M ya@ '4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Feb. 4, 1936 uam-:o STATES' PATENT erica APPARATUS Fon FonMiNG AND sunvEYING EARTH conEs This invention relates to the obtaining of earth cores and the surveying of such cores es weil as the surveying of holes drilled or bored in the earth, and it is an important objectl of the inven 5 tion .to provide for the accurate indicating of the dip and strike oi the geological formation at the bottom of the hole and also the dip and strike of the hole at any elevation thereof.

The present invention employs a compass for l indicating the strike, and for indicating the dip there is employed a. mobile liquid, such for i'nstance as water, and it is another important object oi' the present invention to provide for the automatic locking of the compass needie in, the

l indicating positionA it assumes while forming an earth core at the bottom oi the hole, and at any selected elevation within the hole, and for automatically controlling the indicating liquid so that it may be employed for definitely and accurately zo indicating the dip or angular relation to the horizontal of the instrument while forming a core at the bottom of the hole, and at any elevation within the hole.

Further objects of the invention are to provide for the production oi' a core 'of earth material at the bottom oi' a hole in the earth; to effect the convenient elevation of the core to the earth's surface; and iso-maintain the core in its original position with respect to the dip and strike indi- 30 eating means when the core is being brought to the earths A further important object of the inventionis to produce the core by a drilling operation, and also to provide for undercutting the core in a :J5 very simple and effective manner, so that the core may be broken away from the earth by the operation ot elevating the apparatus withoutin any manner disrupting the core or chang-ing' its angular position within the apparatus.

o In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a conventional vertical sectional view oi' the bottom portion oi a hole drilled in the earth and showing, in elevation, the apparatus of the present invention located at the bottom as of the hole in position for operation, vparts ot the casing being broken away to lhow certain interior parts of the apparatus; l

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view oi.' the lower portion oi the surveying apparatus o! thepresent :,J invention taken on theiine 2 2 of Figure 3;

' Figure 2a is a vertical sectional view taken on the same line asv Figure 2 and is a bottom continuation of the latter;

Figure 3 `is a cross-Sectional View 911 th? .1111

55 3 3 of Figure 2; 1

Figure 4 is a crossnsectional view on the line 4 4 of Figure 2; l

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view on the line 6 5 of Figure 2;

Figure is a cross-sectional view on the line 5 6 8 of Figure 2;

Figure 'I is a cross-sectional view on the line l1 1 of FigureZ;

Figure8isacross-sectionalvlewontholine. 0 8 of Figure 2a; l0

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view on. the line 9 9 of Figure 2;

Figure 10 is a detail cross-sectional view on line H ll of Figure 2;

Figure 1l is a view of the dip and strike indil|5 cating mechanism and is a sectional elevation taken on. the line H Ii of Figure 13;

Figure 12 isan enlarged sectional view taken' on the line` Il i! of Figure 13;

Figure i3isacrosssectionalviewtakenonthe 20 line Il of Figure 11;

Figure 14 is a cross sectional view on the line M Il of Figure 11;

Figure 15 is a cross sectionalview on the line IB-I! of Figure 18;

. Figurel6isacrosssectionalviewontheline IG-IJ# of Figure 17 and on a'reduced scale;

Figure l7isanenlargeddetail vertical cross sectional view on the line |1 i1 of Figure 16;

Figure 18 is an enlarged detail sectional view 30 taken on the line H II of Figure 11;

Figures 19,20 and 21 are ditic views v showing the manner of using the dip indicating mechanism of the present apparatus.

In Figure 1 of the drawings there has been 35 shown in a conventional manner the lower portion of a hole A drilled or bored in the earth, and

in this hole has been shown the apparatus of the present invention which includes boring mechanism contained in the lower cylindrical casing B, and dip and strike indicating mechanism con. tained in the upper cylindrical casing C, the two casings being of the same diameter and detachably connected in any suitable manner, such for instance as indicated at the top of Figure 2 of 45 the drawings wherein 20 designates a. cylindrical head or' partition which is externally screw threaded, and to winch' the interiorly screw threaded adjacent ends of the casings B and C are connected. The head 2li is provided with a 50 central opening 2i through which extends a conventional drill rod 22 having the conventional central longitudinal bore 23 for the introduction of wash water into the bottom of the hole during the boring operation. The bottom oi the casing shaft 22 and parts connected with and driven thereby. Of course, any other suitable or. preferred means may-be provided to prevent rotation of the casing B within the drill hole. Disposed wit-hin'the lower portion of the casing B is va. horizontal bottom plate o-r partition 25 which is yrigidly held within the casing in any suitable manner as by screw threaded fastenings 26. Two sets of drill spindles designated 21 and 28 respectively extend through suitable openings in the bottom plate or partition 25, there being eight such drill rods as well shown in Figure 8, divided into two groups of four each, one group being designated 21, and the other group being designated 28. These drill spindles are arranged in a circle, and the drill spindles 21 are provided at their lower ends with drill heads 29 of any suitable or conventional form while each of the other set of drill spindles 28 is provided at its lower end with a suitable drill head 30. Each of the drill spindles 21 is provided with a longitudinal bore 3| for conducting water downwardly to the drill head 29, which, as best shown in Figure 2a, is provided with an outlet water passage 32 communicating with the bottom end of the bore 3|. Water is not supplied to the drill spindles 28, but each of these drill spindles is provided with a longitudinal bore 33 for a purpose as will be hereinafter explained. Each of the driliheads 30 is longer and projects below each of the drill heads 29 and is provided with a chamber 34 opening through one of the upright sides of the drill head 30 and contains an undercutter bit 35 which normally lies within the periphery of the drill head but is capable of being projected outwardly, as indicated in dotted lines, for the purpose oi' undercutting the core which is to be provided by this apparatus in the manner as will be hereinafter described. It will vof course be understood that the undercutter 35 is disposed in a plane below the bottom of that of the drill heads 29 so as not to interfere with the latter during the undercutting operation. It will also be explained when the undercutting operation is being performed the drill heads 39 will have been fed down below the bottom of the casing B and so the latter will not be in the horizontal circular path of the undercutters. By reference to Figure 8 of the drawings it will be seen that the drill spindies are arranged so that the periphery o1' adjacent drill heads 29 and 30 come into very close relation and that as the drills sink into the earth and produce eight holes therein, thewa1ls separating adjacent holes will'be very thin and probably disintegrate and fall apart leaving a plug of earth material within the central space bounded by the drills and with the undercutters 35 underlying the bottom of the plug and constituting supports for the plug when the apparatus is being drawn upwardly out of the drill hole A. The plug of earth material produced by the holes formed by the drills will have its exterior uted or corrugated'longitudinally with the outer edges of the utes or corrugations lying between adjacent drill heads, whereby rotatable creeping of the plug oi' earth material on its axis will be prevented during the drilling and lifting of the apparatus out of the drill hole A, and thus maintaining the plug in its original position with respect to the apparatus for purposes as will be hereinafter explained.

The borings or cuttings produced by the drill heads are washed upwardly through an opening 36 provided in the lower head 25 and into a closed compartment defined by the casing B, the lower head 25 and another partition 81 suitably secured within the casing B at a proper distance above the part 25.

The mechanism for transferring motion from the drill rod 22 to the drill spindles 21 and 28 is mounted in a carriage made up of a cylindrical sleeve or barrel 38 mounted to slide endwise within the casing B and provided with cross-heads or partitions designated, from top to bottom, 39, 40, 4|, 42 and 43 respectively. Immediately above the upper cross-head 39, the drill rod 22 is provided with an external annular shoulder 4 and between the shoulder 44 and the cross-head 39 there is an antifriction thrust bearing 45. The drill rod 22 extends downwardly through a central opening in the upper cross-head 39 and terminates short of the cross-head 40, and carriesv on its lower end a collar 4B rigidly secured thereto in any suitable manner as by means of a pin 41. This collar 46 projects below the bottom end of the drill rod 22 and is provided with a diametrie groove 48. Below the drill rod 22 and in alignment therewith is a lower drill rod section 22 which is provided upon its upper end with a fixed collar 49, shown as screw threaded upon the shaft section 22'. The top of the collar 49 lies close to the bottom of the collar 48 and is provided with a deep diametric groove 50. The collar 49 extends through an opening in the partition 40, and in the -top of the latter (see Figure 6) there is a socket 5| which intersects one edge of the opening through the partition 40. The collars 46 and 49 constitute clutch members on the respective drill rod sections 22 and 22', and they are adapted to be connected for simultaneous rotation by means of a shiftable clutch member 52 in the form of a cross-head designed to lie in the grooves` 48 and 5|) and to overlap the joint between the clutch members 46 and 49 so as to connect the rod sections 22 and 22 for simultaneous rotation.- The shiftable clutch member 52 may be lowered so as to lie entirely within the seat constituted by the groove 58, thereby to leave the clutch members 46 and 49 unconnected, which will of course break the drive connection between the drill rod 22 and the lower drill rod section 22 whenever it is desired to stop thel operation of the drills as will be hereinafter further explained. One end 53 of the shiitable clutch meznber 52 projects beyond the peripheries of the members 46 and 49 so as to drop into the socket or seat 5| and thus positively hold the lower shaft section 22' against rotation and to maintain it in a predetermined xed position for a purpose as will hereinafter be explained.

The drill spindles 28 (see Figures 2 and 4) are driven from the lower drill rod section 22' which latter extends downwardly through the partitions 4| and 4-2. Immediately below the partition 4l, a gear 54 is provided upon the shaft section 22' and is constantly in mesh with a driven gear 55 on each of the drill spindles 28. Immediately below the gear 54, a gear 58 is provided upon the drill rod sections 22', and, as shown in Figures 2 and 5 of the drawings, it will be seen that the driving gear 59 is in constantmesh with a driven gear 51 on each of the drill spindles 21. As well shown at the bottom oi Figure 2 and at the top of Figure 2a it will be understood that the drill spindles 21 and 28 extend upwardly through the partitions 43 and 2. and their upper ends are received within the respective sockets 58 and 59 in the bottom oi' the partition 4 i. A suitable antifriction thrust bearing 60 is provided for the upper end of each drill spindle.l

As thus far" described it will be understood that the drill 'spindles 21 and 28 are in constant driving relation with the lower drill rod section 22' and will always rotate as long asthe shii'table clutch member 52 is in the position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. and that by droppingthe shiftable clutch member 52 but of engagement with the clutch member 48, the lower drill rod section 22 will cease to rotate and ,consequently the drill spindles will also cease to rotate.

It will here be explained that during the drilling operation, there will be avdown'ward feeding oi the drill rod 22, which willof course force down'- wardly the drill carriage and all of the parts mounted thereon so as to sink the drills intothe bottom ofthe hole A in the earth.

The driving clutch between the upper and lower drill rod sections 22 and 22' is maintained in its engaged condition with the 4shiftable clutch member 52 elevated and held by means of a tubular rod or sleeve 6i depending centrally from the bottom of the shiftable clutch member 52 and extending downwardly through an open ended bore extending entirely-through the drill-rod section 22'. The lower end of the sleeve or rod 6| projects below the bottom of the drill rod section 22' and is supported upon the horizontal arm 82 of a bell crank lever fulcrumed at 83 between a pair oi' ears 84; best shown in Figure 'I of the drawings, and depending from the bottom of the par titions 42. The other arm of this bell crank' extends downwardly along side of a collar 6.1 mounted to slide endwise on one of the drill spindles 28, and at the lower end of the arm there is a horizontally disposed fork or yoke 88, the arms of which are spaced apart less than the diameter of the sleeve 81 so as to engage with the exterior of the latter and maintain the bell crank with'its armo62 in a horizontal position. BY Dermitting the arm 65 of the bell crank to swing to the right, the horizontal arm 62 will swing downward, thus lowering the sleeve 8| and'in turn lowering the shiitable clutch member 52 out of engagement with the drill rod 22, thus breaking the drive connection between the upper and lower drill rodsections thus stopping the rotation or the drill spindles.

It will of course be understood that the yoke 88 of the bell crank is held in its normal position shown in Figure 2 during the drilling operation, and that the bell crank can be released, so as to lower the shiitable clutch member 52, by moving the sleeve 8,1 downwardly until its top clears the bottom of the yoke 86, the arms of the yoke 88 being spaced apart far enough to straddle the drill spindle 28 and thereby permit of the necessary swinging movement of the bell crank to lower the tubular rod 0i and the shiftable clutch member 52. To assist the downward movement or the shiftable clutch member I2, a' coiled spring 88 is provided around the lower end oi' the tubular rod 8| and located in a counter bore 6l in the bottom oi.' the drill rod section 22', the upper end of the spring bearing against the closed inner end of the counter bore 89, and the lower end o! the vspring bearing downwardly upon the top of pear.

projecting from the rod 1l and into the sleeve 61 so that the latter may be moved endwise by moving the rod 1l. The rod 1I extends upwardly through the open top of the bore in the drill spindle 28, through the center oi the thrustbearing 68, through'the partition 4'I and up to the partition 48, the latter being providedI with a socket 14 to receive the upper'end of the endwise movable rod 1|. The upper portion of the rod 1i isv screw threaded as at 1E, and on this screw threaded portion o! the rod there is a nut .16., thelower end of which engages the top face of the partition 4i, and its upper end engages the bottom face of the partition 48, thereby to prevent endwise movement of the nut. A frangible pin 11 temporarily holds the nut fixed to the rod 1 I. This nut is provided between its ends with gear teeth 18 'which mesh with the driving gear 19 which is normally loose upon the drill rod section 22 and which may be clutched to said drill rod section in a manner as will hereinafter ap- Inasmuch as the spindle 28 is positively driven by the driving gear 54 and inasmuch as this drill spindle, the rod 1I and' the sleeve 61 are connected together by the pin .13, .they will all rotate together. Likewise the nut 16 will rotate 'with the rod 1I because it is connected thereto by the irangible pin 11. AAs the gear 19 is loose upon the drill rod section 22' it does not interfere with the rotation oi the parts thus described. The gear 18 has one tooth more than the gear18 on the nut 16, and when the gear 19 is clutched to the drill rod section 22', the gear 'i8 and consequently the nut 16 wil be rotated at a slightly lower rate of speed than the rod 1| which is rotating with the drill spindle 28, the effect being to retard the rotation of the nut 18 which will result in the breaking of the irangible pin 11 so as to permit this diii'erent rate of rotation between the nut and the rod and allow the rod to be i'ed downwardly by the rotation of the nut 18, whereby the sleeve 61 will be moved downwardly until its top end clears the fork 88 resulting in the dropping of the clutch member 52 and the stopping of the rotation of the drill spindles.

ber 88 is held in its elevated position bymeans of a stem 83 extending downwardly from the member 8l through thehollow or tubular stem 6I with its lower end projecting' downwardly through the open bottom of the part 6| and through the forked portion of the bell crank arm 82. 'The lower end of the stein 83 is supported which is iulcrumed at 86 between a pair of ears 81 depending i'rom the'bottom of the partition 42, as shown in Figures 2 and 'l of the drawings. The depending arm 8l oi the bell crank is pro- Vupon the horizontal arm 84 of a be'l crank 85 vided with a laterally extending heel or projection 89 that is normally received in a notch 'or opening 90 in the adjacent wall of the cylindrical sleeve or barrel 38 whereby the bell crank is held in its normal position so as to support the rod or stem 83 with the shiftable clutch member 8U 'in ari elevated position and out of the seat 82 in the top of the gear 19. It will now be understood that by releasing the bell crank 85 and permitting its horizontal arm 84 to swing downwardly the shiftable clutch member 88 may be permitted to drop into the seat 82 and thereby clutch the gear 19 to the drill` rod section 22. To assist in forcing the clutch member 88 downwardly, there is a helical spring 9| mounted within the tubular stem 1 and bearing at its upper end against the bottom of the drill rod section 22 and at its lower end against the top of the shiftable clutch member 88, whereby the clutch member will be positively movedv downwardly when the bell crank arm 84 is lowered. It will, of course, be understood that the heel portion 89 of the bell crank 85 bears against and slides along the inner wall of the casing B so as to normally maintain the bell crank in the position shown in Figures 2 and 7. The outer lend of the heel portion 89 is convexed so as to conform to the concaved contour of the inner wall of the casing B so as to insure the free sliding oi the heel along the casing. As the drilling operation proceeds and the carriage 38 is being fed downwardly the heel 89 travels along the wall of the casing B until it comes opposite a notch or opening 92, shown in Figure 2a, in the casing B, whereupon, due tothe weight of the parts and the pressure of the spring 9|, the heel 89 will be moved into the notch or opening 92 and the arm 84 will be lowered, thereby lowering the stem or rod 83 and' dropping the shiftable clutch member 88 into the seat in the top of the gear 19, thus clutching the latter to the drill rod section 22' and retarding the rotation of the gear 18 with the result that the rod 1l" and the sleeve 81 are moved downwardly for the ultimate purpose of releasing the clutch between the upper and lower drill rod sections and stopping the operation of the drill. As the drill carriage 38 is vnow locked to the casing B by reason of the part 89 being in the notch or opening 92, the drill carriage 38 cannot be moved downwardly through the casing B.

It will here be explained that only one drill spindle 28 is provided with a sleeve 81 for the control of the bell crank 85, but each drill spindle 28 is provided with a rod 1I, and each rod is utilized to control the outward feeding of the undercutter 35 of its drill bit or. head 30. The lower end of each rod 1I`is reduced in diameter, as at 93, to form a pump plunger working in a pump -barrel 94 provided in the lower end portion of the spindle 28. This pump barrel contains a hydraulic element' such as grease, oil or the like, capable of being forced downwardly by the action of the pump plunger 93. The open bottom of the pump barrel 94 is in communication with a passage 95 formed in the drill bit 38 and communicating with the inner closed end of the chamber 34 in rear of the undercutter 35, whereby hydraulic pressure may be applied to the rear end of the undercutter for the purpose of feeding it outwardly in order that it may undercut the plug of earth material produced by the boring action of the drill bits 29 and 38. It will of course be understood that the length of each rod 1I is such that the pump is not operatingduring the'downward travel of the drill carriage 38, but

comes into operation when the heel portion of the bell crank 85 enters the notch or opening 92 in the casing B and the downward movement of the drill carriage is thereby stopped, whereupon the pumps come into operation and the undercutters 35 arefed) outwardly during the continued rotation of the drill spindles so as to undercut the core, the undercutting continuing until .the sleeve 81 passes below the fork 88 on the bell crank 85 which releases the bell crank and in turnv vdisconnects the clutch member 52 from the drill rod 22 and stops all further operation of the drill spindles. The drilling mechanism having thus produced a series of vertical drill holes in the bottom of the drill hole A arranged in a circle and in close proximity has also produced a core which lies in the area defined by the drill spindles,v as well shown in Figure 8, and this core has been undercut by the undercutters 35 which lie beneath the core when the rotation of the drill spindles has been stopped by the disconnection of the clutch member 52 and constitutes a support underlying the bottom of the core so that the latter may bedrawn upwardly through the drill hole A when the apparatus is drawn upwardly by the proper manipulation of the drill rod 22. The drilling operation produces a series of vertical flutes or corrugations in the exterior of the earth core, and these corrugationsdeiine upright ribs or projections, each of which lies between successive drill heads and drill spindles which preventsany rotary creeping of the earth plug during the drilling operation as wellas communicating with an annular chamber, 98.

formed in the head or partition 39. A radial port 99 communicates between the annular chamber 98 and the bore 23 of the hollow drill rod 22. It will thus be seen that wash water mayvreadily pass downwardlyfrom the d rill rod 22, the water chamber 98, the tube or pipe 98, into the bore of the drill spindle 21, from the bottom of which the wash Water may escape through a passage 32, best shown in Figure 2a of the drawings, so as to function in the usual manner of wash water. It will here be explained, reference being had to Figure 2a of the drawings, that the cuttings or borings may be washed upwardly through the opening 38 in the partition 25 and into the closed chamber defined by the partitions 25 and 31 and the casing B. It will of course be understood that there are no operating parts in the chamber thus defined except the drill spindles, and therefore the washing of cuttings and borings into the chamber will not interfere with the proper operation of the apparatus.

The mechanism for indicating the dip and strike of the core in its position at the bottom of the hole in the earth or the dip and strike of the hole at any elevation thereof has been shown in Figures 11 to 21 inclusive. This mechanism includes a frame made up of a head IM, a base IUI and a centrally disposed tube |02 having its ends screw threaded into centrally disposed openings in the head and base respectively. The head and the base are circular in shape and of a 'diameter to fit easilywithin the cylindrical casing C which is open at its bottom and is interiorly screw threaded so as to fit the screw threaded exterior of the cross-head 20 at the top of the casing B, as well shown in Figures 2 and 12. The top of the casing C is closed by a circular head |03 screw threaded to or otherwise connected with the casing C. Within the tube |02 there is another tube |04 having its lower end connected to the cross-head 20, as by being screw threaded into a screw threaded socket in the' part 20. The upper end of the tube |05l passes upwardly through the headv |03 and the latter is provided with a suitable gland or stuilng box its. lt will be understood that the drill ro'cl 22 passes downwardly through the tube |06 inwhich the drill rod of course has a working t. The purpose of the tube it and the gland or stuffing bor: |05 is to prevent the ingress of any water which may be in the hole in the earth above the casing C. Moreover any water which might rise and pass upwardly between the drill rod 22 'and the crosshead 2li will be prevented, by the gland, from passing back into the interior of the casing C.

The means for indicating the dip, l. e. the angle to the horizontal which the device assumes during the production of the plug or at any other elevation of the hole in the earth. includes a plul rality or upright parallel tubes |06 which are transparent so that the level of the mobile liquid |01 contained therein may be readily seen. As

l illustrated in Figure 13, four such tubes have been shown, but a larger number may be employed. It is believed that four tubes disposed equidistant around the circular head |00 and base will give the best results', and 'better results might be obtained by a larger number of tubes as will hereinafter appear. Each tube is supported at its lower end upon a post |03 vrising from the base |0I, and at its top by a post |09 depending from the head |00. The lower post |00 is tubularl or provided with a bore |10 which communicatesat its lower end with a horizontal passage-||| provided in the base |0|, the inner end of said passage having a branch i I2 extending upwardly through a plug II3 screw threaded into a screw threaded openingv in the base |`0| and risingslightly above the top of the latter. The arrangement of the four passages extending from the several tubular posts |08 is best shown in Figure 14 of the drawings, and each of these passages may be a copper or other flexible tube tted into grooves in the under side of the base |0| and through vertical openings in the plug II3. The upper end voi' each branch ||2 projects slightly above the top of the plug I3 so as to constitute a valve seat for a valve with the valve chamber, whereby the several war ter tubes. |08 are in mutual communication, and when the entire device is tilted-from its vertical position, the mobile liquid will readily pass from one or more of the tubes to one or more of the other tubes in order` that the liquid may seek its level, which is madeuse of in indicating the' dip as will be hereinafter explained. Mounted on the top of the casing I I is another casing I l0,

I and on top'of the casing ||0 is another casing ||1 which defines a chamber for a purpose as will be hereinafter described. The valve ||4 has" an upstanding valve stem ||8 which projects through the top ofthe casing ||6 into the casing ||1 and is provided at its top with a head ||9. A soluble member is disposed around the upper portion of the valve stem I8 and is interposed between the' top of the casing I6 and the head I so as to normally hold the valve Hd in its elevated position. A helical spring |2| is located in the casing H6, surrounds the valve stem and bears at its upper end against the underside of the top of the casing iid and at its lower endupon the top of a head or shoulder |22 provided upon the valve stem H8 and intended for the purpose of lowering the valve ||4 when the soluble prop |20 has been dissolved, thereby to close the open tops of the branch tubes ||2 so as to cut on the mutual communication between the'several water tubes it@ and retain in each of the latter the water that is contained therein when the device has been tilted from its vertical position or in any position thereof. Disposed upon the top of the casing ||1 is a chamber or casing |23 containing a liquid |26 which is a solvent for the soluble prop |20. Within the upper portion of the chamber or casing |1 there is a Valve |25 ,which normally closes the port or passage |26 connecting the chambers ||1 and |23 and through which the valve stem |21 passes.

This valve stem extends upwardly through thel top of the chamber |23 and is provided with a head or shoulder |28. There is a helical spring |29 surrounding the valve stem and bearing upon the top of the chamber |23 and against the under side of the head or shoulder |28 so as to hold the valve |25 at its upper limit with the port or passage |25 closed. The valve stern |21 extends upwardly through an opening |30 in the head |00 and through a packing gland in the head |03 andV is provided on its top with a head or enlargement I3| which, as well indicated in Figure 1 of the drawings, is in the path of. a trip head or projection |32 carried by the drill rod 22, whereby the valve stem |21 may be vpushed downwardly so as to lower the valve |25 and permit the escape of the solvent |24 into the chamber ||1 so as to attack the soluble prop |20 and thereby permit of the lowering of the valve ||4 to close the valve seats or ports constituted by the branch tubes ||2 so as to cut off the mutual communication between the several water tubes |06'. v

From the foregoing description and by reference to Figures 19, 20 and 21, which are diagrammatic .views of the dip indicating mechanism, it will be understood that D designates the tops oi' the water columns in diametrically opposite water tubes |06 when the apparatus is in a verical position. In Figure 20 the apparatus has been tilted, and now the tops of the water columns are indicated at D as will be'readily understood, when it is remembered that the water columns are in mutual communication. By closing the valve III, the water in each of the, tubes |06 will be trapped therein, so that when the apparatus is again brought to a vertical position.. 'as shown in Figure 2-1, the tops of the water columns will be as indicated at 'D2 and D3, for the reason that in the' tilted position of the device, as shown in Figure 20, liquid will run from the right-,hand tube |08 to the left-hand tube |00, thus lowering the top of the liquid column in one tube and elevating it in the other tube. In other words there will be less water in one tube than in the other tube, so that when the 6 aosdois valve 4 is closed, and the device is brought to its upright position as in Figure 2, the top D3 of one water column will lie below the top Dn of the water column in the other tube. A line drawn through the tops D2 and D3 of the water columns as shown in Figure 21 will indicate the angle to the horizontal or to the vertical in which the apparatus was disposed at the time of the cutting of the plug in the bottom of the hole or at any elevation in the hole where an observation is to be made. Also rthe apparatus may be tilted, from the vertical, until the tops of the water columns D2 and D3 come into horizontal alignment, as in Figure 20, which then will be the position of the apparatus in which it was originally disposed, and then the angle of the longitudinal axis of the device with respect to the horizontal or to the vertical will be the angular disposition .of the core in its original position or the angular disposition of any predetermined portion of the hole in the earth. It will now be understood that if only two water columns were employed, they would of course indicate the angular position when the tilting is in the plane common to the two water columns, but two water columns only would not be eective where the tilting is in a plane other than that common to-the tubes, wherefore a plurality of water columns is necessary to properly and adequately indicate the inclination or dip. The sim.. plest arrangement is that shown in Figures 13 and 14 and includes four Water columns or tubes arranged in pairs with the members of each pair disposed diametrically opposite one another, and the several water columns disposed equidistant in a circle.

For the purpose of indicating the strike. i. e. the magnetic compass relation of the plug of earth produced by the apparatus or a portion of Vanism as well shown in Figures 11, 12, 13, 16

and 17. Two compass mechanisms have been shown so that one may be checked against the other, and therefore a description of one of them is deemed suflicient. Each strike mechanism includes an upight.tube |33 which may be transparent or otherwise, a transparentl tube being preferable as it permits more convenient observation of the compass. The tube |33 is open at its lower end and supported upon a post |38 rising from the base |8I. The top of the tube is closed by a suitable cover |33 from which rises a tubular externally screw threaded stem |40 which is fitted to a -screw threadedr opening in the head |00. The tube |33 contains a mobile liquid |4| upon winch iloats a compass, preferably comprising a float body |42 in the form of a ring and a magnetic needle |43 which passes diametrically through the body with its north and south poles projecting externally of-the body and reduced to a pointed configuration as well shown in Figures 13 and 16. At least one end of the compassof the magnetic needle is appropriately marked so that the north and south poles may be readily distinguished. The magnetic needle is guided in its movement longitudinally within the tube so as to prevent the ends of the needle hanging upon the walls of the tube, by means of a wire |44v .or a rod oi very small diameter which is received through the ring `body |43 and through an opening |43 at the middle of the magnetic needle. The upper end of the wire |44 passes upwardly through an opening in the cover |33 and is provided at its upper end with a clamp |48 which is clamped upon the wire and rests upon the top of the stem |40 or the top of the head |00 as may be desired. The lower end of the,

wire is suitably secured to a base member |41 resting upon the top of the post |38, suitably secured thereto as by fastenings |48, and spaced from the top ofthe post by suitable spacing elements |43, as for instance washers through which the fastenings |48 pass, whereby there is a clearance between the bottom of the base |41 and the top of the post |38 i'or the purpose as will be hereinafter described. Rising from the base |41 is a circular series of prongs |50 disposed concentric with the rod or wire |44. Each prong is in the nature of a fine iiexible wire with its upper end pointed or tapered, as shown in Figure 17 of the drawings, so that when the compass needle is lowered, the pointed ends thereof may sink between a pair of adjacent prongs, the tapered upper ends of which facilitate the introduction d of the ends of the needle between adjacent prongs,

ends of the needle, and that the needle will re- 4 main in this position and be held from turning on its vertical axis while the apparatus is being lifted out of the hole in the earth, and thus the needle will be maintained in its original set position with respect to the core of earth material produced by the apparatus and elevated to the earths surface.

To provide for the withdrawal or escape of the mobile liquid from the tube |33 the top of the post |38 is provided with an inverted conical chamber ISI having an open top communicating .with the space beneath the base |41, which chamber is of course normally full of the liquid, the compass floating upon the top of the liquid in the tube |33. From the bottom of the chamber |3|, a tube or passage |32 leads outward through the post and through a relatively large opening |53 in the adjacent side wall of the part ||6 where it is provided with a. downwardly extending branch |34 which extends downwardly through the top of the chamber ||5 and projects below the latter so as to form a port or valve seat in,

cooperation with the upper side of the valve ||4, said valve being normally closed against the port or valve seat so as to retain the liquid within the tube |33. When the valve |I4 is lowered by reason of the dissolving of the soluble prop |20, the liquid inthe tube |33 will be permitted to drain through the passage |52 into the chamber H3, from which itfmay escape upwardly, as best shown in Figures 15 and 18 through a vent or waste tube |55 which extends through the top of the chamber I3. The liquid escaping from the waste tube |53 passes intothe chamber ||6 and thence outwardly through the openings |53 in the walls of the chamber ||6 and into' the space around the tube |33 and within the casing C. All of the water will of course ydrain from the tube |33, thus permitting the compass needle to gradually descenduntil it comes to rest on the base member 41, in the position shown in Figure 17, where it will be held in its settled position by the gripping action of the prongslll. As hereinscrew threaded at its lower end into the partition 2B, and is provided at its upper end with a gland |05, excludes the ingress of water from the hole in the earth into the casing C. This exclusion of water from the casing C is important in that should there be any water in the casing f C it might interfere with the proper draining of the Water lll from the compass tube H38, and

' present invention, the parts are assembled upon the drill rod 22 in the relation shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, the dip and strike indicating mechanism contained within the casing C being disposed above the casing B within which is contained the drill carriage on which is mounted the drill spindles 21 and 28 and the parts for driving the same from the drill rod 22. For producing a core of earth material from the bottom of the hole A previously provided in the earth, the apparatus is lowered until the bottom of the casing B comes to rest upon the bottom of the hole. When so positioned, the parts ofthe drilling mechanism will be in the relative positions shown in Figures 1, 2 and 2a, the drill carriage 38 being at its upper limit with its bottom Q3 in the position shown in Figure 1 and at a `predetermined distance above the notch or opening 82 in the wall of the casing B. The head or f projection isz wm be at a predetermined iistance above the top of the casing C. The clutch 52 will be in its operative position, and the clutch 80 willb'e in its inoperative' position. Rotary motion will be transmitted'from the rotating drill rod 22 through the clutch 52 to the lower drill rod section 22', and from the latter rotary.mo

tion will be transmitted to the drill spindles 21 by means of the driving gear 58 and the gears 51 on said drill spindles. Rotary motion will be transmitted to the drill spindles 28 vfrom the driving I gear 54 to the gears 55 on the drill spindles 28. As clearly indicated in Figures 1 and 2a it will be seen-that the drill spindles 28 project below the drill spindles 21, and it will be explained that they maintain this relative position throughout the operation lof the apparatus. As the drill spindles 21 and 28 are rotated, their drill heads 28 and 30 will bore downwardly thorugh the bottom of the hole A, the drill carriage 38 and all of the parts mounted thereon travelling downwardly through the stationaryvcasing B which is held against rotary creeping in any suitable manner, as by means of the teeth 24 on the bottom of the casing sinking into the earth at the bottom of the hole. The drill carriage 38 and the parts mounted thereon will continue to travel downwardly until the heel 89,01? the bell crank -85 comes opposite and snaps into the notch or opening v82 in the stationaryy casing B, whereupon further downward movement of the drill carriage will be stopped, but the rotation of the drill spindles and the drill heads or bits 28 and 30 will continue because the clutch 52 continues in one less tooth than the gear 18, whereby the frangible pin 11 will be broken so as to permit the retarding of the rotary movement of the gear 18 andzthe nut 16. As the drill spindle 28 continues to rotate at its original speed, the dierence in rate of rotation between the rod 1l and the nut 1E will cause the rod to slide downwardly, carrying the plunger 93 at its lower end down wardly through the pump barrel 9d soas to force the oil or other mobile material downwardly and through the passage 95 into the chamber 3d so as to gradually feed the undercutter 35 outwardly through one side of the drill bit 30. It will here be explained that, as well shown in Figure 8, each ofthe four drill spindles 23 is provided with a plunger 93 carried by a rod 1i, so that each of the four undercutters 35 will be gradually fed outward to undercut the co're or plug of earth material produced by the sinking of the drill bits 2Q and te into the bottom of the hole A in the earth.

the deep seat 50 in the clutch member 49, thereby.

disconnecting the drill rodsections 22 and v'22' so as to stop further rotation of the drill spindles.

En order that the drill spindles 28 may cease rotation with their undercutters in the position V shown in Figure 8 and underlying the bottom of the core or plug of earth material produced by the operation of the drills, the seat 5I is located in the cross-head 48 in the proper predetermined angular position such that when the projecting end 53 of the shiftable clutch member 52 seats itself in the seat 5I, the rotation of the drill spindles will be stopped with the undercutters 35 in the position shown in Figure '8. By reference to Figure 6 it will be understood that when the shiftable clutch member 52 is lowered, its projecting end 53 will as a rule engage the top face. of the partition on which it will travel in a circular path until it comes into a position above y and in alignment with the seat 5I, when it will drop into the seat, disconnect the drill rod'sections 22 and 22', and finally engage one end vof the seat 5I and thus cease its rotary movement, and thereby, stop the rotary movements of the drill spindles in the positions necessary to have the undercutters 35 underlying the plug or core of earth material produced by the drilling oper-Y ation.- 'As hereinbefore described, the rplug or core of earthmateria'l produced by the drills is corrugated longitudinally and the ribs thus formed on the plug or core lie between successive drill spindles and thus prevent rotary creeping of the plug when the latter is drawn to the vearths surface by the withdrawal of the apparatus. Moreover the ribbed condition of the exterior of the core or plug, during its formation; prevents rotary displacement thereof should it break away at its bottom-during the drilling operation.

It will here be explained that the notch or opening 92, shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, isV disposed at apredetermined distance below the bottom 4,3 of the drill carriage corresponding to the desired length of the plug or core of earth material to be produced by the apparatus. The drill spindles 21 and 28 of course extend .Well be# low the bottom 43,0f the drill carriage and reachv substantially to the bottom of the casing B, so

that the sinking of the drill bits into the earth is stopped at the desired position by reason of the heel of the bell crank 85 snapping into the notch or opening 92 in the casing B. Thereafter, there is no downward feeding of the tklll carriage 33 and the drill spindles, but the spindles continue to rotate so as to effect the undercutting of the core.

The operation of the dlp and strike mechanism is as follows. trip head or projection |32 on the drill ro'd 22 is spaced above the dip and strike mechanism a distance such that the trip member |32 will come into contact with the top of the trip rod |21 and push the latter downwardly just prior to the beginning of the undercutting operation. The depression of the trip rod or valve stem |21 will lower the valve |25 and open the passage or port |26 so that the liquid solvent |24 may pass downwardly 4into the chamber ||1 and attack the soluble support |20 which eventually becomes dissolved, thus permitting the spring I2 |y to depress the valve ||4, thereby open- .f

ing the ports |54 and closing the ports ||2B`y the opening of the ports |54, the mobile liquid |4| 'will drain from each of the compass tubes |33 ous strata ofthe plug or core of earth material y may be observed and noted. While one compass mechanism may be employed, it is preferred to employ two compass mechanisms, so that each may be checked against the other and thus an accurate strike observation and record lmay be made.

By the closing of the ports ||2, the liquid connection between the several water columns |01 is closed, thereby trapping in each column the amount of water contained therein in whatever position the apparatus may be inclined to the horizontal, as hereinbefore described ,and as indicated in Figure 20 of the drawings. Upon the withdrawal of the apparatus from the hole in the earth, and with the dip and strike mechanism in a vertical position, as indicated diametrically in Figure 21 of the drawings, the top of the water columns will of course be at different elevations, such for instance as indicated at D and D3, from which the inclination of the apparatus during the formation of the plug or core may be determined by the angular disposition of a line connecting the tops D2 and D of opposite water columns, or by tilting the apparatus until the tops D2 and D3 of the water columns come to the same level which will position the apparatus in the angular position in which it was during the formation of the core o'r plug.

In order to conveniently observe each compass and the water columns, the casing C must be unscrewed from the cross-head 20 and removed from the apparatus, whereupon the transparent character of the tubes |05 and |33 willpermit convenient observation and examination of these parts. Should the tube |33 be non-transparent, the clamp |46vmay be released, the cover |30 backed oil from the top of the tube |33, and then the tube |33 removed from the post |30, whereupon the compass may be viewed in its position between prongs or wires |50.

I claim: r 1. Apparatus 'of the' character described, cm prising a drill rod, an annular series of core forming drills, each drill being mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis and actuated by the drill rod, and dip and strike indicating means in? ilxed relation to the series of drills.

2. Apparatus of the character described, comprising dip and strike indicating means, and rotary core forming means for producing a ribbed means actuated by the drills, and dip and strike indicating means in fixed relation to the series of drills.

4. vApparatus of the character described, comprising a drill rod, an annular series of core forming drills actuated by the drill rod, dip and strike indicating means xed with respect to the series of drills, control means for the indicating means; and trip means actuated by the drill rod for setting the control means in operation.

5. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a casing open at its bottom, a rotatable and endwise slidable drill rod extending through the top of the casing, a drill carriage slidable within the casing and connected to and movable with the drill rod, an annular series of rotatable `core forming drills mounted on the carriage for projection through the open bottom of the casing,

driving means between the drill rod and the drills, l

dip and strike indicating means in the casing and above the drill carriage and xed with respect to the annular series of drills, control means for the dip and strike indicating means, and trip means actuated by the downward movement of the drill rod for setting the control means in operation.

6. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a drill rod, an annular series of core forming drills actuated by the drill rod, dip and strike indicating means in fixed relation to the series of drills, means actuated by the drill rod for controlling the dip and strike indicating means, normally inactive undercutting means, means for limiting the downward movement of the dril1s.and means actuated by the drill rod for feeding the undercutting means into operative position.

, 7. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a casing open at its bottom, a rotatable and endwise slidable drill rod extending through the top of the casing, a drill carriage slidable within the casing and connected to and operable with the drill rod, means to permit limited downward sliding movement of the drill carriage, an

annular series of rotatable core forming drills mounted on the carriage for projection through the open bottom of the casing,`some of the drills being below the other drills andprovided with normally inactive undercutters, driving means between the drill rod and the drills, means actuated by the drill rod for feeding the undercutters into operative position when the drill carriage 'has reached its lower limit, driving means between the drill rod and the drills, dip and strike indicating means in the casing and above the drill carriage and fixed with respect to the annular series of drills, control means for the dip and strike indicating means, and trip means actuated by the downward movement of the drill rod for setting the control means in operation.

8. Apparatus oi the character described, comprising core forming means, a drill rod for actuating the core forming means, dip indicating means including a plurality of interconnected mobile iluid columns, strike indicating means including a magnetic needle oating on a column o! mobile fluid, control means actuated bythe drill rod for clng the communication between the liquid columns of the dip indicating means and for draining the iluid from beneath the magnetic needle, and means for holding the magnetic needle against turning on its axis in its lowered v position.

9. Apparatus of the character described, comprising core forming means, a drill rod for actuating the core forming means, dip indicating means including a plurality of interconnected mobile fluid columns disposed in an annular series concentric with the drill rod, strike indicating means including a mobile uid column provided at its bottom with an annular series of upstandlng erating striker carried by the drill rod.

comprising core forming means, a drill rod for` actuating the core forming means, dip indicating means including a plurality of interconnected mobile iluid columns, strike indicating means including a magnetic needle floating on a column of mobile iluid, control means actuated by the drill rod for closing the communication between the liquid columns o! the dip indicating means and for draining the iluid from beneath the magnetic needle, means for holding the magneticv needle against turning on its axis in its lowered position, and means for guiding the needle into cooperation with the needle holding means.V

11. Apparatus of the character described, comprising core forming means, a drill rod for actuating the core forming means, dip indicating means including a plurality oi interconnected mobile iluid columns disposed in an annular series concentric Y with the drill rod, strike indicating means including a mobile iluid column provided at its bottom with an annular series of upstanding closely arranged prongs having their upper ends free, a magnetic needle floating upon the said column, an upright needle-guide disposed concentricaly with respect to thefseries of prongs, a valve common to the vfluid column of the strike indicating means and theintercommunication of the fluid columns oi the dip indicating means, trip means for said valve, and a trip operating striker carried by the drill rod.

, 12. A dip and strike indicating apparatus com prising a plurality of interconnected dip indicating mobile iluid columns arranged in an annular series, strike indicating means including a mobile liquid column, a magnetic compass floating upon the column, draining means ior'the column, means tohold the compass needle against iturningonitsaxisinitsloweredpositimand l0. Apparatus of the character described,-

means for actuation by a drill rod to open the draining means and to close the interconnection between the dip indicating columns.

13. A dip indicating apparatus comprising a frame including a head and a base and a drillrod-receiving tube extending through the head and base oi' the frame, a plurality of tubes dis'- posed in an annular series Within the frame, intercommunicating` conduits between the tubes, a mobile uid in the tubes and in the conduits, a normally open valve for closing the conduit connections of the tubes, and trip means i'or releasing the valve and disposed for actuation by a part on a drill rod.

14. A strike indicating apparatus comprising a frame including a head and a base and adrillrod-receiving tube extending' through the head and base of the frame, an upright tube mounted within the frame, a mobile liquid within the tube.

an annularseries of upstanding prongs within the bottom portion o! the tube, a magnetic needle floating within the tube and capable of settling between adjacent prongs and be held thereby in a lowered position of the magnetic needle, a drain ior` the tube, a normally closed valve for said drain, and means for actuation by a drill rod for opening the valve and draining the tube.

15. A core forming apparatus including a. plurality of drills arranged in an annular series and disposed in close mutal relation, alternate drills extending below the other drills, and undercutters can-led by said alternate drills. A

16. Apparatus i'or forming and surveying earth cores, comprising a casing having means to en- ,gage a wall o! an earth bore outside of the core being formed and prevent rotary creeping Vof the casing within the bore', dip and strike indicating means on the casing, and core forming means within the casing. i

17. Apparatus for forming and surveying earth cores, comprising a casing having means to engage the bottom wall of an earth bore outside of the core being formed and prevent rotary creep-v ling of the casing within the bore, dip and strike indicating means carried by the casing, and rotary core forming means mounted within the casi 18. In an apparatus for forming and surveying earth cores, dip and strike indicating means, and

core forming means including a plurality of drills arranged in close mutual relation in an annular series and mounted for rotation about their respective longitudinal axes for producing acorrugated earth core with the ribs thereof cooperating with the drills to maintain the original position oi the core with respect to the dip and strike indicatingmeans'. l

19. Apparatus fory `forming and surveying earth cores, comprising dip and strike indicating means. and rotary core forming means for producing a longitudinally corrugated earth core with the rib portions oi the core between the corrugations cooperating with the core forming means to maintain the original position of the core .with respect to the dlp and strike indicating means.

JOHN R. MCCURDY. 

